My First Digital Scrapbook Page Using Photoshop

By and © 2006 Clara Wallace – Matter Of Scrap Scrapbooking Graphics

Scrapbooking with your computer has a lot of benefits. One of the programs that digital scrapbookers use is Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Here we'll show you how to create your first layout using PS/PSE.

Open up Photoshop (PS from now on). Click on FILE>NEW and type in the size that you want your layout to be. Make sure you choose “inches” from the dropdown menu. For this layout, type in “12” for the width and “12” for the height. Set the RESOLUTION to 300dpi. Color mode should be RGB. If you want to save this preset, click on SAVE PRESET and give it a name. Next time you start a new document you won’t have to change any of the numbers-just choose the saved preset and you will be ready to go!

Now it’s time to open some elements and papers to add to your blank layout. Click FILE>BROWSE and PS’s file browser will open. Navigate to your files and double-click on one of the paper files. The file will open in PS. Minimize the PS browser and click on your paper file to make it the active window.

Click on your MOVE TOOL (see fig.2) - it is in the tool palette, top right and looks like an arrowhead with a small plus sign to the lower right of it.

Now click on the paper and drag it over to your blank layout. Center it on the page.

Now, browse for an accent square. Double-click to open and then drag it over to your layout. Use your MOVE TOOL to move it to where you want it.

Let's make a mat. In the tools palette, click the RECTANGULAR MARQUEE TOOL, top left (fig.2). You need to put the mat on a new layer. Do this by clicking on LAYER>NEW LAYER (you’ll see LAYER in the top bar where it also says FILE, EDIT, etc.). Using your marquee tool and mouse, drag out a nice sized mat by holding down your mouse key and dragging until you get a box that is the right size. You can choose a color for your mat by clicking the COLOR PICKER (see fig.2) and choosing a color. Click OK. Now hold down ALT + BACKSPACE and your box will be flood filled with the color you picked. I used an included striped mat - you can use that instead if you like.

Your layout should now look something like this, with the paper, mat and accent square.

Open the photo that you want to use and drag it over to the layout, just like you did with the other elements.

Now your layout should look something like this.

If your mat layer hidden below another element, just click on that layer in the LAYERS palette and drag it to the top of the ‘stack’. The layers palette is located to the right of your workspace and says “Layers” on the top tab.

Let’s add a title. Click on the TYPE TOOL. It’s in the tools palette and looks like a capital letter “T” (see fig.2). Choose the font and font size you want to use. Type in your title and any journaling that you want. When you are done, click the MOVE TOOL.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed your first digital layout in Photoshop!

Here’s mine:

Now, if you’d like to give your layout a few more details, read on…

In order to give your layout realism, add some simple drop shadows. Double-click on the photo mat layer in the layers palette. A dialog box should open up (if it doesn’t, move your cursor off the text in the layers palette and try again). In the dialog box, click on DROP SHADOW. Use the default settings or adjust to your own liking. Repeat this with the other elements.

Here is another version of the layout I did. You can decorate your page with anything you have in your stash or keep it simple!